It Only Takes a Spark-le to Start a Fire!

So yeah, yesterday was one of those days that you wish never happened, started, etc. I was one of the 'lucky' people at my company who lost their job yesterday. Sweet, huh?! (if anyone knows of any available awesome jobs in the Vegas area, please let me know!! :-D) I'm trying to look at it as a blessing, there are a ton of roads I could take at this point... I could work at night, and go back to school to get a culinary degree, I could get another graphic job, I could get a bartending or cocktail job, I could work at the casinos... the possibilities are pretty endless. I'm going to turn this situation on it's ass. :-D For today's nails I really wanted to do something fun and sparkly, so I used the new Nubar Sparkles polishes I bought at the International Beauty Show to do an ombre. :) These polishes officially kick ass, I can't stop looking at my hands, they're SO sparkly. I even ended up doing a matching pedicure!! :)



I used 3 coats of Nubar Petunia Sparkle, with Nubar Violet Sparkle sponged on the tip half of the nail. Topped everything off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat to smooth out the glitter coats. :)

So... what should my next endeavor be?

Fuschia

Plate: Fauxnad M69

Base Colour: Barbara Daly Make Up - Cardinal

Fauxnad Colour: Stargazer 118 - White

Top Coat of NYC

OPI Shrek Comparisons: The Blues

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I have more OPI Shrek Collection comparison swatches for you today, this time the blues.  I did them the same way as the purples - all are with base and top coat, dry, and thumb, middle and pinky are OPI, index and ring are the comparison color.  The pictures were taken in sunlight.

I'll start with What's with the Cattitude, the lighter of the two blues.  I compared it to Color Club Factory Girl (formerly Blue Light), Essie Shelter Island, and SpaRitual Full of Life (again, just using what was handy and seemed like it might be close).

Factory Girl was a close match, just a tiny bit lighter than the OPI.

OPI Shrek What's with the Cattitude and Color Club Factory Girl Comparison

Shelter Island is distinctly darker than the OPI.

OPI Shrek What's with the Cattitude and Essie Shelter Island Comparison

SpaRitual Full of Life was again quite close, bit a bit lighter.

OPI Shrek What's with the Cattitude and SpaRitual Full of Life Comparison

Clearly, the Color Club is the closest match, barely distinguishable from the OPI.

The darker OPI Shrek Blue, Ogre the Top Blue, I compared to Color Club Chelsea Girl (formerly 220 Volts), Nubar Hot Blue, and SpaRitual Crystal Eyes.  Each was a bit darker than the OPI.

Here is Chelsea Girl.

OPI Shrek Ogre the Top Blue and Color Club Chelsea Girl Comparison

This is Nubar Hot Blue.

OPI Shrek Ogre the Top Blue and Nubar Hot Blue Comparison

Finally, SpaRitual Crystal Eyes.

OPI Shrek Ogre the Top Blue and SpaRitual Crystal Eyes Comparison

Although they're not dead-on dupes, I think both the Color Club and the Nubar are close enough to the OPI to fill in for one another.

That's what I have for you this morning, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Oh, Quit Your Waning!

So I think I may be tired lately... there are two nights this week so far that I've passed out on the couch, etc. before 8:30 PM! :-P Last night it was about 6:45, and I slept the whole night. That can't be good, right? So much going on lately! Next Friday, I need to make a wedding cake for my friend Jessica's wedding... I'm a little scared because it's the one cake in a person's life they're not likely to forget. :-/ I also need to make some ice cream for class on sunday, I'm thinking Chocolate Cayenne, Fresh Strawberry, and Vanilla Bean. (Banana, too, if I can find ripe bananas at the supermarket). I'm hoping to do a 1-tier practice of the wedding cake on Saturday, and I hope to GOD it looks awesome. lol On the bright side, tomorrow is Friday, and at least over the weekend I won't have to worry too much about work, just personal obligations! :)

Today's nail art was inspired by the phases of the moon, which are: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Las Quarter, Waning Crescent, and Dark. (according to wikipedia.org) As of the time of this blog post, we are nearly at the full moon! :-D I only used TWO colors for this art- black and white! Oh, and by the way, the ring finger on my right hand is new CND Shellac, which would explain why it's not decorated with art.. lol I'm testing their 2-week claim, because if if can stay on me, it'll stay on anyone.





I used American Apparel Hassid
for the background, as well as mixed with American Apparel Cotton for the greys, and also used American Apparel Cotton
to lightly sponge over the base to make 'stars'.

What is going on with this blog? First, all the talk of 'brazilians', and now a Waxing Moon?! :-P (bad joke, I know)

CURRENT MOON

moon phase info

Side Frenchy

Here, as promised - a brand new post.

Konad Plate: M56

Base Colour: All About Face from Tesco - Soft Lilac

Konad Colour: BYS - N146 Royal Purple

Top Coat of NYC

I don't know if I've mentioned before, but this NYC Top Coat I always use is AMAAAZing because it doesn't smudge the Konad designs like many topcoats. I found it in a store called 'The Original Factory Shop', which is basically a seconds store, for £1 a bottle. I bought a few but they don't have any more and it's near impossible to find anywhere :(

OPI Shrek Comparisons: The Purples

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I'm back with some comparison swatches of OPI Shrek's Funky Dunkey and Rumple's Wiggin'.  I just grabbed a few polishes that were that were handy to compare.  The pictures are all in sunlight, all with a base and top coat, and dry.  In all, the OPI is on thumb, middle, and pinky, and the comparison color is on index and ring fingers.

For Funky Dunkey, I used China Glaze Grape Pop, RBL Mismas, and SpaRitual Shoot for the Stars.

Compared to Grape Pop, there's a minor difference in direct sunlight, but just walking around in normal light they're almost identical.

OPI Shrek's Funky Dunkey and China Glaze Grape Pop Comparison

Rescue Beauty Lounge's Mismas is even closer to the OPI.

OPI Shrek's Funky Dunkey and Rescue Beauty Lounge Mismas Comparison

Shoot for the Stars isn't a match - it's redder than Funky Dunkey.

OPI Shrek's Funky Dunkey and SpaRitual Shoot for the Stars Comparison

For Rumple's Wiggin', I used Nubar Lavender, Revlon Gum Drop, and Illamasqua Wink.  All three are pretty close.

Nubar Lavender is pretty much a match for Rumple's Wiggin'.

OPI Shrek Rumple's Wiggin' and Nubar Lavender Comparison

Revlon Gum Drop is a bit lighter than the OPI, but not by much.

OPI Shrek Rumple's Wiggin' and Revlon Gum Drop Comparison

Finally, Illamasqua Wink is almost a match for Rumple's Wiggin', again just a hair lighter.

OPI Shrek Rumple's Wiggin' and Illamasqua Wink Comparison

I'll try to hunt down some blues to do comparisons for those next.  The greens are unique, so they won't be compared to anything.

That's all for today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

OPI Shrek Collection

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I wasn't up for swatching OPI Shrek last night, but I was this morning, so I have swatches for you.  Five of the pictures are under artificial light - my first shot at using a new light box.  The colors are true to life, but I'm still working on placement of the lamps to eliminate shadows.  The sixth was taken last night by the setting sun.

All six of the Shrek Collection are cremes and were three coaters for me, but I've found the dry time to be reasonable.  The brush on them is good, too - a little big, but not as moppy as in some collections.  There are two blues, two purples, and two weirdo greens in the collection, and I like them all.

The first weirdo green is Fiercely Fiona, a color like if you made pea soup using both green and yellow peas.  This one is a full manicure, and the picture I took outside last night.

OPI Shrek: Fiercely Fiona Nail Polish, Three Coats

The other weird green is Who the Shrek are You?, which is really the color of Shrek.

OPI Shrek: Who the Shrek are You? Nail Polish, Three Coats

The lighter of the two blues is What's with the Cattitude, a baby blue creme.

OPI Shrek: What's with the Cattitude Nail Polish, Three Coats

The darker blue is Ogre the Top Blue, a bright medium blue creme.

OPI Shrek: Ogre the Top Blue Nail Polish, Three Coats

The lighter of the purples is Rumple's Wiggin', a slightly pink pale lavender.

OPI Shrek: Rumple's Wiggin' Nail Polish, Three Coats

The last one, the darker purple, is today's Nails of the Day, Funky Dunkey.

OPI Shrek: Funky Dunkey Nail Polish, Three Coats

That's OPI's Shrek Collection, and what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Hot Topic Fauxnad & Konad Plate M63

Good evening, Dear Reader!

My OPI Shrek nail polishes arrived today, but I'm just not up for swatching, so I figured I'd show them to you one at a time as Nails of the Day.  In the meantime, I thought I'd show you yesterday and today's Nails of the Day so they don't get lost in the shuffle because I especially like them.

Yesterday was Nubar Black with Hot Pink accent ring fingers, and I used two patterns from a Hot Topic fauxnad plate on them.

Hot Topic Fauxnad over Nubar Black & Hot Pink, Two Coats Each

Today, I've worn OPI's Jade is the New Black with some of the old black added to it from Konad plates M63 and M19.  I used three coats of the OPI.

Konad M63 & M19 over OPI Jade is the New Black, Three Coats

I thought that one turned out really nicely.

Now that I've caught you up on recent NOTD's, I'll be wearing OPI Shrek colors for the next six days to show you those.  Until tomorrow, Dear Reader, love and nail polish to you!  

Blue Criss Cross

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. Things are pretty hectic now I'm finishing my first year at Uni and I've had a few deadlines to meet and still got looooads of exams to revise for. So here it is... I promise you a post tomorrow. (:

Konad Plate: M64

Base Colour: Barbara Daly Make Up - Tattoo
Konad Colour: George@ Asda - 35 Frost Bite

Top Coat of NYC

Wet Paint sale on Ideeli!

Hey all!! Just a note to let you know about the Wet Paint Glaze System sale on Ideeli.com today!! Everything is deeply discounted- there is a set of 15 polishes for $50, original price is $150! It's a pretty neat idea, and with those 15 polishes you can create 102 different colors!!



Here is the link! Wet Paint Sale on Ideeli

US Shipping only unfortunately. :(

Picture is from ideeli.com

Oh, How Tacky!

Hi everyone!!! I hope that this lovely April day finds you well ( and not wind-blown, like here in Vegas!! lol) Today's nails were inspired by something at work- my cork board!! :) I thought it'd be something different, and plus, when I did the dinosaur nails the other day, I thought the background looked like cork, so I thought I'd used that idea as a design! :)



I used MAC Abalone Shell (I wish I'd picked up multiples of this- I <3 it), with Zoya Dea pretty heavily sponged over it, then topped with CND Super Matte, which BTW isn't MATTE AT ALL!?!?!?, don't get it. After that failed, I went to my go-to matte topcoat, Essie Matte About You. Next, for the thumb tacks, I used CND Green Scene, American Apparel Downtown L.A. for the red tack, Pure Ice French Kiss for the blue tack, American Apparel Poppy for the orange tack, and CND Bicycle Yellow for the yellow tack. I mixed each with American Apparel Cotton to highlight, and American Apparel Hassid to shade, except the yellow tack, which I mixed American Apparel Poppy with to shade. for the metal part of the tack, I used American Apparel Hassid mixed with China Glaze Millennium. FOr the items tacked up, I used American Apparel Cotton for the white, American Apparel Hassid for the black, and American Apparel Downtown L.A. for the red. For the shadows of the tack on each nail, I used a mix of topcoat andAmerican Apparel Hassid. Topped the tacks off with a coat of Seche Vite top coat, being careful not to get any on the matte portion of the nail.

Totally tack-y, right?!

And, as a bonus sneak peek into part of the giveaway prize.... (hand screened by yours truly)

L.A. Girl Rock Star Nail Lacquers

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I'm about a year late showing the L.A. Girl Rock Star nail lacquers, but I just got a few of them recently and they were too cool to not show you.

Overall, they're somewhat sheer, so I layered the lighter shades over black.  I used one coat of Nubar Black and one coat of the Rock Star polish for each of those swatches.  The darker colors, I just used two coats of the Rock Star.

Scandal is a pale pink shimmer that doesn't really show up on its own, but really comes alive over black.

Scandal L.A. Girl Rock Star Nail Lacquer, One Coat over Black

Crowd Surfing is an interesting green with glaky gold glitter, also over black.

Crowd Surfing L.A. Girl Rock Star Nail Lacquer, One Coat over Black

Addict is a vampy red jelly with gold glitter.  This is two coats.

Addict L.A. Girl Rock Star Nail Lacquer, Two Coats

Overdose is a pink and purple glitter in a clear base, and one coat over black worked well.

Overdose L.A. Girl Rock Star Nail Lacquer, One Coat over Black

Rock Star is a purplish brown with gold glitter.

Rock Star L.A. Girl Rock Star Nail Lacquer, Two Coats

Punk is a kind of duochromey blue base with purple glitter.  I think it would have been better over black.

Punk L.A. Girl Rock Star Nail Lacquer, Two Coats

Those are the L.A. Girl Rock Star nail polishes I chose, but there are quite a few more.  I got them from Cherry Culture, where I believe they are still available.

That's it for this morning, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

I'd Like the Brazilian, Please!

OH MY GOODNESS! For those of you that are new to the blog- WELCOME, or bem-vindos!! (I hope that translated correctly on Google Translate! lol) I am SO excited and thrilled from the HUGE HUGE HUGE response on my blog yesterday from the country of Brazil! I received 112,000 page views yesterday!! (thats about two-thirds of what I generally get in a MONTH!) So in honor of all my awesome new readers- I give you today's nail design- the Brazilian flag. :) Obrigado!!!



I used CND Green Scene as a base, used tape to tape off the diamond shape, painted CND Bicycle Yellow, then removed the tape. For the blue, I freehanded a circle with Pure Ice French Kiss, then used Sally Hansen All the White Stuff for the white band across it, as well as little dots (for the stars). I also used CND Green Scene to paint little squiggles for the words Ordem e Progresso ("Order and Progress"), since I can't paint letters that small. :-D Topped it all off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.

Thank you to all my new readers, Brazilian, American, or whatever country you're from!! You rock, and I appreciate you!!

BTW- keep an eye out for a giveaway in the next few days- I was planning to have one for 1500 followers, but the follower count went up by 100 in a day, so I wasn't ready for it! lol Still finishing part of the prizes, and figuring out what the contest rules should be!! :)

Wet n Wild Blackest Green

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today's Nails of the Day is Wet n Wild Blackest Green, a really cool blackened green shimmer.  It took three coats on me, but the dry time is good and I otherwise have no complaints, so I like it.

Wet n Wild Blackest Green Nail Polish, Three Coats

That's the short but sweet update for this morning, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Splat!

Happy monday!!! It's *bleepin* hot here today in sunny Las Vegas, and definitely doesn't feel like April should. :-D Today's design is simple again, I got home late after the show last night, and was too tired to do anything intricate, but I still dig the color combo- Flip Flop Fantasy is positively retina-searing, the picture doesn't do it justice! :) I'm sitting at my desk right now having a 'Flip Flop Fantasy'... wishing I was at home sitting in the shade wearing flip flops, my comfy jeans, and a t-shirt!! No such luck, it's a work day! The play last night was fantastic, and if any of you should get the chance to see 'Confessions of a Mormon Boy', I'd highly recommend it. It's hilarious, entertaining, charming, and heart-wrenching all wrapped into one story.



I used China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy as a base, with MAC Showy applied by dipping the end of a straw in the bottle of polish, then aiming it at the nail, and forcefully blowing air through the straw to splatter it. I topped it off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.

Flippety flop! (I think it's about nap time for this redhead- why can't we have siestas here in the US?)

L'Oreal Passport to Paradise Collection

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I have swatches of L'Oreal's Passport to Paradise Collection for you today, and found that they were very familiar.  On April 21, the news broke that L'Oreal was acquiring Essie, and it looks like L'Oreal took Essie for a test drive with this collection.  They're exact dupes for last year's North Fork Collection from Essie.

High Tide is the light blue shimmer...

L'Oreal High Tide Nail Polish from Passport to Paradise

...which is an exact match to Essie's Sag Harbor.  My index and ring fingers are the Essie, the others the L'Oreal.

L'Oreal High Tide and Essie Sag Harbor

Waters Edge (no apostrophe) is the turquoise creme...

L'Oreal Waters Edge Nail Polish from Passport to Paradise

...which matches Essie's Greenport.  Again, index and ring are Essie.

L'Oreal Waters Edge and Essie Greenport

Ocean Breeze is the blue creme...

L'Oreal Ocean Breeze Nail Polish from Passport to Paradise

...which corresponds to Essie's Shelter Island.

L'Oreal Ocean Breeze and Essie Shelter Island

Sorry I got a little sloppy on the last coat of Shelter Island.

So we see these are all dead-on dupes.  I prefer both the brush and the price tag of L'Oreal, so if I had to choose which to keep, it would be the L'Oreals.

If you want a fill review of the colors, you can just look back at the North Fork review - they're the same colors, so no point in making you endure a full review just to show you they're dupes.

That's what I have for you this morning, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!